Sunday, August 29, 2010

So picture this: you are a college football coach and you've dreamed about being a sports commentator for years - you just knew you could do it, but no, you actually had no formal training. But one day, you win a position on NBC, during the playoffs!!! AMAZING!! You are terribly excited, grateful and nervous as hell. You show up first day of your dream job, and you are reminded that yes, your first day of your new job will indeed be on national television.

Holy eff balls.

Secrets from a Stylist debuts tonight. I'm super excited (i saw it this week) but I'm feeling pretty exposed and vulnerable, too. Here is how i keep it in perspective:

ahem.

Winning Design Star and getting my own TV show is an incredible new job, a job that was 10 steps ahead of what I was doing before, an unbelievable promotion in every way, but just a job.

The amazing parts of my new job are the creative freedom, daily excitement, immense responsibility (yes, i like responsibility, it keeps me out of trouble), and public effect.

The drawback of my job is that my first day on the job - untrained - is on national TV.

i mean, i know that's kinda the point of a TV show, being on the TV. But still, I'm on TV.

Yep. With potentially a million people watching. (hopefully, but honestly i have no clue how many people watch TV shows, or even how many people 'a million' are).

So I try to not think about all my friends, family, co-workers, fellow designers, bloggers, readers, admirers and yes, haters watching and judging. (hopefully instead they are laughing and smiling and not wanting it to be over.)

I'm really proud of my first day on the job. And the potential of doing it everyday is insanely exciting.

Do I have criticisms of myself? um, no doy. I always will.

But every time I think about the world watching me, a mini panic attack begins.

and that's when I remind myself:

it's just a great new job, its just a great new job.

- one that I'll get better at everyday - because that's what happens on new jobs. You start out not knowing quite what you are doing - people help you along and give you tips, but there is a lot of learning and troubleshooting. It takes a while to find your rhythm, figure out what things you are good at, and what things you need more help with.

So I want feedback, obviously. But pretend i'm a five year old who just finished her first piano recital in front of 100 people. Sure, you saw some things I could do better next time, but maybe wait a while - after the shows been for sure picked up and my nerves have calmed down to tell me about them. For now, let me know what you like about the show, what you definitely want to see more of, or don't want cut out. I definitely want constructive criticism, too, just not yet. please.

oh and I'm not sure if HGTV reads these comments, so if you feel like it, comment on my web-page on HGTV.

Remember during the show when everybody was promoting their fan vote, and I wasn't? Well, obviously you know why now. But I'm calling in that favor - if you get a chance, and feel like it let HGTV know what you think about Secrets From a Stylist. Viewer feedback is super important to them. Click here, to comment to HGTV.

OOH, also I'm starting to do blog posts for them (which I'm stoked about). And my second one (my first being my 12 most memorable moments from DS, click here to read) will be up after the show - or maybe tomorrow I'm not sure, and you'll be able to comment on that, too. It is 10 tips to help shopping at flea markets and thrift stores.

So watch SFAS tonight at 10pm on HGTV. please please please.

I hope you love it.

And remember, It's just a great new job that I love very much.

And like that football coach turned commentator,

I'll do the best I can, and get better at it every day.

And someday when I'm a total pro (which will happen, just watch) I won't give a sh*t about haters.

83 comments:

I am so excited for your show, you have no idea!! I think you are what so many of us design interested "regular" people have been waiting for, and how great that your personality is so winning as well! I have to say, there are a lot of haters commenting at the HGTV website who seem like they are stuck in the "Trading Spaces" era, so I would really recommend that anyone who is looking forward to Emily's show go over there and post something positive.

LOVE your on-cam presence (trust me, I'm a TV/radio reporter). You could've won based on that alone, and then you had the best designs on top of it. Watching other HGTV show the designs seem dated to me now. YOU, Miss Emily, are **NOW**.

Your posts are sooooo much fun to read! I know your show is going to be even more fun to watch! I mean, come on! The only thing HGTV has given us to watch in the last year (besides DS) is about 4000 episodes of House Hunters! And I watched them! I know that your show is going to be fantastic, and current, and gorgeous! And since I live too far away to hire you, I will just have to copy everything you do on the show! Congratulations! Enjoy yourself tonight! And may the haters stay home! Or at least off the internet!Also, can't wait to see what you're wearing for your debut!

I already have a batch of cookies in the oven and a glass of milk in the fridge prepped exclusively for your show tonight. Obviously a huge fan (ahem, check my blog) I'm psyched and find it incredibly refreshing how human and relatable you are. And I love that you're asking constructive criticism to be held off, I respect the hell out of that.

You know....about haters...one thing my Mema always told me was, "The only way to not have anyone talk bad about you is to not do anything." Just remember anyone who chooses their art and to go with their gut will probably be polarizing...look at Kelly W., J. Adler and anyone else you look up to.

I'm really looking forward to seeing your first show! Congratulations to you! Very very exciting! Question for you....would you share where your lovely gray and white quilt/duvet that is on your bed is from? I LOVE it! It's the bedroom you have pictured with all of the white. I want that gray and white one! Thank you!

Oh my gosh, Emily, I'm loving it! I'm writing during the first commercial break but couldn't wait to tell you that it FOR SURE is going to be a HIT! I know you want specifics about what we like, what to keep, etc., but honestly I wouldn't change a thing. Congratulations!!!!

THIS IS THE BEST DESIGN SHOW EVER! No kidding. I am glued to it. All of the tips are so helpful, I need to take notes! It's so cool to see your process (love the mood board). the sconces moment was adorable. You look gorgeous and are so charming and real.

Hello, not done watching yet but its AMAZING! - you've already given me so many tips! I love your whole diagnostic and each layer was beautiful on its own - I can't wait the next ten minutes to see how it all looks together! Lady, you are on to something and you will go far ~~ this is why YOU won -

This show is so fresh and different. I am an HGTV junkie and it is so nice to see something new and the exact opposite of ugly. Plus, let me just say, you look & sound adorable throughout the whole show. I am really looking forward to MORE episodes!!

Loving the show and dun dun dun!!! The men of the house are watching with me. These are the same boys who roll their eyes and groan when I turn on HGTV.

Not only are the watching it, they're talking about it. "I like that." or "Oh I don't like that - not my style."

Hold the phone.

Hold the freaking phone.

These guys are talking about home decor, design and THEIR style. Madness! The best part? Are you ready for the BEST part? They want to know if I can do "some stuff" around here to incorporate what they're into. I've been given the green light!

You made room for the books! You showed the final product WITH THE BOOKS! You are now my official HGTV goddess. I've been kvetching since I started watching that no one seems to leave any serious book room. (I think it helps that I also really like the style you discovered for Ian. I was watching with my feet on my steamer trunk coffee table--my great-grandfather dragged it around when he was a traveling actor--beside my knick-knack laden, uneven bookshelves. And I love the framed maps, too. Maps are <3.)

I really like the idea that you want it to not look like a stylist was in there, to look like it all grew organically. I find that a lot more comfortable.

Stuff about the show itself that I love and would love to see more of:1. The plainly laid out tips. You can do this, and here's why you'd want to. Excellent. I'd love to know HOW to go about renting a piece of furniture from somewhere to see how it works.

2. Being willing to try different styles out with the client, and get his responses before committing to something. Ian seemed genuinely surprised to find out that he didn't like the full-on '60s mod as well as he thought he would. It would have been very easy to take something like that and say, "Well, Ian said he liked this, so we're doing it." Instead, you were able to scale back at his request.

3. I like the idea of the style diagnostic, and think it will be an even more interesting element with clients that you're just meeting, especially as they discover things they don't necessarily know about themselves.

I hated for it to be over!!! FABULOUS. Emily, you have the most endearing personality I've seen on HGTV. The show is so well paced....exciting all the way through. It is so atypical and educational. I love the way you walk us through your thought/creative process. I could watch this Special 10x and can't wait for the weekly show.

Wow, I LOVED it! I think you just took HGTV to a new level of sophistication. This looked warm and real-life. I loved that it didn't follow the regular HGTV formula. It seemed real and organic and very well thought out.

Just finished watching and you did WONDERFUL!!!!! It was seriously great TV. You dished out more (new and fresh) tips in 1 hour than HGTV has put out in all of last year's programming. I felt like I had taken a really cool design seminar.

Your personality came across great. I loved your terms like "Hardy Boys closet" and "FDR chic." I love that your design aesthetic is so current - everything is about mixing and matching styles. Your three-way design of a room is a genius idea for showing how your layer the design styles.

I also loved that you gave prices and handed out plenty of budget tips.

Congratulations on winning! Man are we lucky that Candice, Vern and Genevieve got it right! Your show tonight was one of the best learning experiences I've had on HGTV in as long as I can remember. You take a sophisticated and complex approach to design, but the show was so effortless and natural and gave a very clear idea of how to pull-off an eclectic style that is really harmonious.

I wish HGTV would let all of your episodes be a full hour, as I could use the education, but I've been watching there long enough to know that that just doesn't happen.

And returning to "effortless," you were so comfortable, relaxed, natural and fun on your show tonight. I want to commend you for it, but you seemed to be having such a good time, it doesn't seem you really worked at all to come off so natural and comfortable - just as the naturalness and comfort of your final design belie the incredible amount of thought and experience behind it.

I look forward to your show with great expectations. I'm fascinated by your diagnostic approach, and would love to learn more, if possible. Oh, and, congratulations again!

your show tonight was so good! i'm so happy that you won and was rooting for you the whole way.. love your personality and style..and the concept of the show is so good! you are, hands down, the missing piece hgtv was in need of! congratulations! can't wait for more!

Emily,LOVED the show. You seriously did an amazing job. You felt very natural on camera and your quirky, fun, laid back personality totally came through. It's honestly the first interiors show that I've enjoyed and felt like I could watch every episode. I love that you explain your reasons behind the choices, placement of objects, and color/pattern choices. I feel like I learned things I can actually apply to my own home! Even my husband (who never watches interior shows) loved it and said it's a show he would actually watch and enjoy! (woo!)

Anyway, congrats lady...you should be so proud and hope to see many more episodes!!Joy

Yippeee! That was sooooooo good! I wish you had already filmed your whole season and I could go buy the dvd! I don't want to have to wait for more! I love that it's an hour! I love your color palette! I love that his house ended up looking so livable. I love that you showed all three options! I love that you took us shopping! I love the way it all turned out! I love that you showed us all the inexpensive and simple ways to make ordinary things look beautiful! I, obviously, loved everything about it! Your show is going to be soooo successful. I want to know how to find my own theme, although I could definitely copy some of what I just saw! Bravo! (oops, wrong network!) Does it come back on next week? That is so long to wait! And just so you know, the Emmy's had George Clooney come on at like 8:59.30, just when my dvr was ready to change the channel! Secrets From a Stylist was definitely worth the switch and just as gorgeous as George!(I will now copy and paste to HGTV!)

Girrrllll, my husband and I LOVED the show! Your quirky style is so comfortable to watch. It doesn't feel rehearsed and SCRIPTED like other shows on HGTV. We love how it's based from a stylist prospective, and the things you do, I could do in my own home (you're not building/doing a major overhaul). We really enjoyed every minute of it and can't WAIT to be on a regular rotation! Job well done: can't wait for more!!!! :)

Emily - LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE. I was dying to see it after you posted the teaser/inspiration pics...and the final rooms seriously blew me away! I have an inspiration folder for some updates I want to do to my own home and the color palette is identical! SO excited to translate some of your concepts into my own home. Are you going to be posting sources at all? Or can we just meet up and go shopping together? :)

I was so happy when you won Design Star. Serious talent. Cannot WAIT to see what else you come up with! When does your season start?

Can I have the stuff you didn't use from the FDR chic look!?!? Emily, WOW! What a fantastic show - it's everything I want from HGTV right now and more: fantastic design, smart shopping, sourcing, humor, and most importantly relatability to the host! Wow, was this a great night - I even blogged about it! Hope you don't mind! :)

I only caught a little bit of the show tonight on the HD channel--have to wait till 10 to see the whole thing. What I did see what so refreshing. Its the type of style that I see on blogs and love oh so much. I'm shocked there aren't more shows like yours. I'm not a fan of some of the HGTV shows--they seem so blah. Like that house hunting show where they buy the new home owners a house warming present and it is usually so TACKY! I love your style and to be honest, I think most of the negative comments on the HGTV website are from some of your competitors! I.E Nina and Michael. Anyway, would love to interview you!!! Do I need to contact your PR person? Interested in doing a Seattle radio interview? :) mason@movin925.com

Very fun show! You were informative, fun and brilliant! I loved your show! I loved the guest bedroom!!! You're very cute and talented! Will you do more of the focusing on people's clothes? Keep doing what you're doing! Much love from a Mormon! Heehee...

SO GOOD!! seriously...I tend to be *ahem* a bit critical at times...but I loved it. really. I can't believe how long that must have taken...do you have to do other shows in a week turnaround time? crazy,crazy. again--GREAT JOB!!!

Emily, you were awesome! I loved how you showed us how to determine a person's style, watching how you shop, and seeing the rooms come together layer by layer. I loved seeing the same room done three times and loved each look - FDR chic was my personal favorite. I feel empowered to use these tips in my own life - a first time ever for me and I've watched HGTV for years. I love your show and if it doesn't become a regular part of HGTV, I will be SUPER disappointed. You were my pick for Design Star and you didn't disappoint me! I'm looking forward to seeing more.

I used the HGTV link you provided, but I couldn't find a place to post a comment.

I probably learned more--and got more ideas for making some changes to my home--from this one show than I have over my entire experience as an HGTV watcher. And the cool thing about it is that I don't need to win the lottery to get started! :-)

hi! super awesome show. tons to like. i really hope they keep the hour-long format because i really enjoyed watching your process. the things that i liked the most were: 1. your genuine fun personality 2. your shopping/design tips sprinkled throughout 3. the labeling of certain pieces as figures 4. your one-liners like "it's patented. and it's my secret." and "it's totally ok. it's a sconce. it's not a baby." 5. the camera-work

and i left this comment on hgtv: loved the show! plan on re-watching it on my dvr =) i think it's a totally original concept to add to the hgtv family. you're actually working with someone's style in their home rather than giving them a photoshoot-ready room that typically doesn't match the rest of the house. and you offer lots of usable/practical tips, and make it all seem so approachable. can't wait for the series to air! but wait, does that mean i can't hire you then? hmmm ...

Ohhh, I'm so not a hater and I think you are talented and fantastic on screen, but I'm just a tad disturbed that you lifted so many individual elements straight from your inspiration pics. The rooms look more "copied" to me than "inspired by". But thanks goodness HGTV is changing their direction. Your show looks like it's going to be good.

I absolutely love love loved what you did on SFAS on HGTV. Even my boyfriend watched it with me and was like..."hmmm... i like that...she did a great job". You did an excellent job and you styled that FDR/Brit Mod/Antique to the T. I enjoyed the show and will continue to be a fan! Please check out my blogspot at messyllaneous.blogspot.com (Im just getting started myself) Im a pro organizer *spoke with you briefly* and would absolutely LOVE to assist you in any way any time! (Im in the Hollywood area) Be Blessed. Don't stress the "haters" those are your motivators even though I doubt you have many! Good Job. Great Work. Be Blessed!

Emily, you did a fantastic JOB. HGTV was genius to have your Brain in the mix. You've got style that is way OVERDUE in the HGTV world, and not only that you are gregarious, Charming, warm and genuine, they hit the JACKPOT! I was eating up all your ideas that you shared! Like how it was edited in such a way that the viewer felt like we were part of the process - who doesn't want that (plus, I kept saying to my MAN "see she's a real designer and does that" to support my SavArmy and Thrift purchases,HA)?

Hey, ignore the hateful comments, cuz really who cares? There will always be people that get off on being mean. You are so smart to remind yourself that it is JUST a job, even though it is a dream job to many...still a job. So enjoy your moment and have fun doing so! Kudos. I think the last rooms you did were the best, and you deserve to be where you landed Emily.

Congrats! My husband and I always watch DS. We're currently renovating and decorating a house of our own right now -- a 1960 ranch at that, and we LOVE it!! We were hoping you would win and I'm excited to see your new show (missed it last night, whoops, but don't worry it's on the DVR now and I can't wait to see it!!!!)

I loved it, have been thinking about it and want to see more. I can't wait for the series to start. It is such a fresh, easy-going take on design and it is sooo welcome on HGTV. I will be promoting it all the time on my blog, as I truly think my clients can gain knowledge they've been missing. More please!

I am late with coming here to comment, I just got to watch the show last night (thank you Tivo) and I have to tell you I ADORED it! I was cheering for you all the way through Design Star, because I loved your personality and I loved seeing it in this show.

On the decorating/styling side I feel like you included SO much in the show my head is bursting with new ideas for my own house! I can't wait to see more of the show!

Hey Emily!I am from Portland also. Even from the first episode of Design Star (probably was a bit biased) but I totally guessed from that first episode that you would win... and you did! I think your new show is just fabulous. We needed something interesting to add to that channel! I love your personality and whole style approach, it is very refreshing. You are doing great! Don't worry about making everyone happy...just keep being yourself, that always wins! (:

Hello Emily--Family friend of your best friend and a big supporter of yours, JoAnn here. I knew from the first show, despite that awful room, that you won---not because anyone spilled the beans, but because you captivated the judges. Each episode I was more and more convinced you would have your own show and mostly because I enjoyed watching you so much. I could see the wheels turn. Eventually the design caught up to your ability and you blew me away with green room. A-N-Y-W-A-Y--Excuse my ramble, I am writing because I MISSED YOUR FIRST SHOW! i keep looking for it on Demand, etc. and can't find it. Do you know when it will be repeated? (See you at the wedding....)

I watched your show last night and have to say how inspiring and original you are. I found a book called "Found Objects" at the library a few months ago and have started purchasing from salvage and antique stores. You are giving me great direction on how to style these fantastic finds. I even purchased an industrial writing table with wheels a few weeks ago and was delighted to see that you purchased one on your show for Ian and painted it a glossy black. I have painted mine a peacock blue color.

Thank you for adding such originality to HGTV, as it was in need of an update!

I am insanely jealous of Ian. You have an amazing eye and ability to mix-and-match. My husband and I just bought our first place - a tiny duplex in Brooklyn and I can only hope it looks that good someday.

Emily--My husband I were thrilled when you won the Design Star competition. Even better was your first episode so soon after Design Star. You are marvelous--your easy and relaxed explanation of what's going on it your head, the interesting concept of exploring your client's style and your methodology, and the final concept that conveys a sense that your client is the source. We are looking forward to ongoing episodes. Can we get you to do our house? HGTV needs a message board for applause!!

Hi Emily, I just caught up with SFAS on my DVR and I loved it! So did my husband, who usually balks at anything besides sports. We both really loved how you showed the design process as an actual process and not just a before and after. I really enjoyed that you showed 3 stages of work before finding one that Ian was happy with. Your show seemed so much truer to the way us mortals go about design (i.e., bit by bit, in waves) but you also gave us your professional wisdom. I really hope we get more of your secrets soon!

Dear Emily,Congrats on your win & the launch of SFAS. It is exciting to see a new hook like personal style translated into design on HGTV - YEAH! But mostly we loved watching a home grown gal win - Oregon chicks rule!

I'm sure you are busy with the new show and all. If you could make it back to Oregon to do a meet & greet with fans let us know - we can make it happen at one of the shows. We would love to host you at one our shows in Eugene. Being close to the UO & OSU we get the young design professionals and the homeowners to our FREE admission home & garden events.

Heck, we'd be happy to have you cut the ribbon at our sustainable Good Earth Home, Garden & Living Show at the chickens over the aisle pavilion. It would be so fun for Oregon homeowners to hear about your success on HGTV.

About Me

Prop stylist during the day, cuddle monster at night. Originally from Portland, lived in New York for 7 years and now living in L.A. where i feed my shopping addiction daily working on editorial, catalogue and advertising photography.